Comparing RFID and NFC Access Control Systems

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Comparing RFID and NFC Access Control Systems

When you're putting in an access control system, you're presented with plenty of options, whether it's which type of ID badge to choose, where to put access points, or how you want to authenticate cardholders. But when it comes time to choose between RFID and NFC card readers, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two technologies. But it isn't exactly comparing apples to oranges - each type of reader has its own benefits and drawbacks which can impact their performance in your facility. Read on to find out what, exactly, distinguishes RFID from NFC access control.access control system using rfid

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID technology makes use of electromagnetic waves to capture and read transmitted data; the information is electronically stored on a tag that is attached to an object or to the carrier, and that tag's chip is activated to share its information when it's near a reader. These tags can be detected from several feet away by the receiver, making them useful in access control for buildings with many cardholders.

RFID technology is popularly employed in access control systems to allow only the entry of authenticated and authorized personnel to secure spaces. Elsewhere, RFID technology is also applied in several other fields, such as supply chain inventory, gate control in parking garages, retail checkout lines and even race timing. RFID can be either active, in which it has its own power source and a high range, or passive, in which it is powered by a reader and works at shorter distances.
The most common use of RFID in access control is in door entry systems for personnel. RFID-enabled tags are employed on a very basic level as the identification badges of the workers for any company or industry that uses access control systems. The RFID applications for personnel identification normally operates at quite a low frequency, almost 140 KHz, for badge detection. The information of a cardholder, object or reader is electronically stored in the RFID cards or tags, which can contain only small pieces of information such as identification numbers, prices or codes.

Door readers also use this same technology. Each RFID reader is equipped with a small antenna, which sends its own radio waves with the purpose of detecting any RFID tag or card within its range. This range can vary for each reader depending upon the frequency of the radio waves it emits, anywhere from about 10 centimeters to around one meter. The RFID reader decodes the unique stored information being emitted from the corresponding RFID badge and sends the signal to its host software, which either grants or denies access to the user.